Indian Tourist Killed as Two Helicopters Collide While Landing at Pheriche Helipad in Nepal’s Everest Region
A 47-year-old Indian tourist was killed and three others injured when two helicopters collided while attempting to land at Pheriche helipad in Nepal’s Solukhumbu district on Tuesday morning.
KATHMANDU— A 47-year-old Indian tourist was killed and three others injured when two helicopters collided while attempting to land at the high-altitude Pheriche helipad in Nepal’s Solukhumbu district on Tuesday morning.
The collision occurred at approximately 8:11–8:12 a.m. local time at the helipad in Ward 4 of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, a key stopover on the trekking route to Mount Everest Base Camp, about 150 km northeast of Kathmandu and at an altitude of roughly 4,371 metres.
The aircraft involved were both AS350 helicopters: one operated by Fishtail Air (registration 9N-AJR, piloted by Captain Rabindra Prajapati) arriving from Gorakshep with two foreign passengers, and the other by Air Dynasty (registration 9N-AOD, piloted by Captain Prajwal KC) on a cargo flight from Lukla Airport carrying no passengers.
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According to police and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the rotor blades of the two helicopters struck each other as both approached the same landing zone. The weather was clear at the time. Preliminary indications point to possible miscommunication between the pilots—the area lies outside the coverage of Lukla Airport’s air traffic control tower, requiring pilots to coordinate directly—or confusion linked to snow cover on the terrain. An investigation is underway.
The deceased was identified as Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu (also reported as Vasanth Kumar Balaramudu or similar spellings), a 47-year-old resident of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, who was a passenger on the Fishtail Air helicopter. He died at the scene. His body was airlifted to Lukla and is expected to be moved to Kathmandu for postmortem.
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Helicopter Collision at Nepal Helipad Kills Indian Tourist.
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The injured include Shailesh Krishna Patel (also referred to as Shailesh Kishan Patel), a New Zealand citizen of Indian origin in his late 40s or early 50s, who was on the same aircraft, along with both pilots. Patel and the Fishtail pilot were airlifted by a Prabhu Helicopter to Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu (Lalitpur) for treatment. The Air Dynasty pilot sustained minor injuries and was also receiving care.
Official statements
Nepal Police (District Police Office, Solukhumbu, and officials including Police Inspector Mausam Tamang) confirmed the details of the collision, the identities of those involved, the medical evacuations, and that the body had been taken to Lukla. Police noted that further details on passenger numbers were still being gathered in the early hours after the incident.
CAAN Information Officer Gyanendra Bhul and Director General Mukesh Dangol stated that an investigation has been launched. CAAN identified the aircraft and flight details, confirmed that the injured had been taken for treatment, and expressed condolences to the family of the deceased while wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. Officials indicated preliminary findings suggest miscommunication contributed to the accident and said corrective measures would be taken based on the investigation’s findings.
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The Embassy of India in Kathmandu issued a statement expressing its deepest condolences on the demise of the Indian national and confirming that it is working in close coordination with Nepali authorities for the early repatriation of the mortal remains.
Videos and CCTV footage of the collision, showing the helicopters approaching the snow-covered helipad before their rotors struck and the aircraft came down, have circulated widely. People on the ground were seen reacting to the impact. No fire was reported after the crash.
The incident occurred during Nepal’s busy autumn trekking season in the Everest region, where helicopters are frequently used to transport trekkers, cargo, and provide emergency services amid challenging high-altitude terrain. Nepal has a history of aviation accidents, often linked to mountainous conditions and operational challenges.
Authorities continue to investigate the precise cause. Further updates on the condition of the injured and the formal findings are expected.
